I was wondering what everyone on this board thinks of the A64 fx-51 vs. the P4 extreme edition 3.2 ghz in terms of gaming. I was going to order one or the other and want the best gaming rig. (Please do not tell me to wait for another chip or to get a different chip than the ones listed above, I want to keep this comparison to the two chips listed) Thanks.

I posted a couple of reviews a while back in this thread: http://www.computing.net/cpus/wwwboard/forum/7781.html I reckon the FX-51 is the better option because both chips are virtually identical in speed and you get 64-bit thrown in as well. In all honesty though, no game as yet will even come close to using the full power of either chip, so why waste your money. At this stage, the only use I can see for them is bragging rights.

My money goes to the next generation chip, the A64.

Trust me, I am not doing this for bragging rights. I always buy top of the line components because I am such a hardcore gamer and I want the best rig to run the games (I also feel it is more cost effective to get top of the line because it does not outdate as fast, although in this case, a lower AMD or Intel might be more cost effective, I am still going for top of the line that way I do not have to replace the computer so soon.

Pffft, "hardcore gamer" Seriously man, what makes you so "hardcore" Having the best stuff and self proclaiming yourself doesn't make you "hardcore" Some of the best gamers I know play on junkpiles compared to the stuff you mentioned above.

At the rate that technology ages these days, its not worth paying top dollar when something new comes out. I am yet to find a game that doesn't play well on my 2500+ and Ti4200 combo. I play everything at 1024x768x32 and it looks fine and runs fast, I fail to see the need to go for a higher resolution. Maybe when DX9 starts to become more prolific I'll consider buying a DX9 card, but until then, I'm happy.

Jesus man, these insults are unnecessary. The only thing that makes one a hardcore gamer is a love of games and playing them a relatively large amount of one's free time. I don't think the rig matters, I was merely asking for your opinion on the two cpus in question. I want to make sure I choose the correct PC for my needs. 'Hardcore' is a common term I use here to represent people who play games a lot. There are 'casual' and 'hardcore' gamers; I fall into the latter category. You have no reason to be upset by my post and lashing out at me was unnecessary from my point of view.